The formation of ice on the leading edges of an aircraft wing or on the air intake lips of aircraft engines poses many problems, including added weight, imbalance between the port and starboard portions, and, in the specific case of engine air intakes, the formation of blocks of ice capable of penetrating the engine and causing considerable damage.
To this end, a number of de-icing or anti-icing systems have been developed in the aeronautics field, recalling here that de-icing consists of evacuating ice that has already formed, and anti-icing consists of preventing the formation of ice.
Anti-icing is necessary in particular in the case of engines comprising portions made from composite materials, such as fan blades: in such cases, it is necessary to eliminate any risk of ice reaching the engine, the composite materials not being able to resist such a shock.
The de-icing systems of the prior art can be divided into two categories of systems: pneumatic systems and electric systems.
In pneumatic systems, hot air is taken from the engine, and that hot air is made to circulate inside the leading edge or air intake lip to be de-iced, using a circuit of ducts provided with appropriately placed orifices.
Although these pneumatic systems are relatively effective, they have a number of drawbacks: they are bulky, heavy, and degrade the performance of the aircraft's engines.
In electric systems, a resistive pad is powered using a current created by power supply members of the aircraft. These resistors are generally arranged in the skin of the leading edge or air intake lip.
Although these electric systems are relatively effective, they have a number of drawbacks: their production is delicate, they are sensitive.